Ten darkly comic, formally inventive speculative novels by David W. Horwat. Each stands alone. Together they make one sustained argument about power, accountability, and the record that survives.
Ten volumes by David W. Horwat, in writing order. Click any book for the full entry.
The Cold Fusion Universe can be read in multiple sequences. Choose the path that suits you — each book stands alone, but the full argument emerges differently depending on how you travel through it.
The recommended first read. Follow the novels in the order they were written — each volume builds on the world and argument of the last, and the series' formal experiments accumulate their full force in sequence.
Three chronological trilogies, each following a distinct timeline through the Cold Fusion Universe, converging at the capstone. Read one trilogy at a time, or move between them chapter by chapter.
Three co-chronological strands — books that take place during the same period but follow different characters and locations. Reading each strand together reveals the full scope of events happening simultaneously.
David W. Horwat is the author of the Cold Fusion Universe, a ten-volume satirical science fiction series set in a near-future defined by the weaponization of clean energy, the monetization of human affect, and the slow erosion of the public record.
The series has been praised for its formal inventiveness, its refusal of easy dystopian consolations, and its insistence on finding the moral life in unexpected places — maintenance logs, checkpoint aides, the bread that is simply bread.
Cold Fusion Press was founded to publish the Cold Fusion Universe and works in the same tradition: speculative fiction that takes seriously both the comedy and the weight of the world it describes.
For rights, press, or speaking inquiries, contact DavidWHorwat@gmail.com.
Do I need to read the books in order?
Each volume stands alone. That said, reading in writing order (1–10) gives the fullest experience. See the Reading Guide for alternative paths.
What genre is the Cold Fusion Universe?
Speculative fiction with strong strands of satirical comedy, dystopian fiction, and machine ethics thriller. Readers of Le Guin, Atwood, Adams, and Kim Stanley Robinson tend to find it familiar territory.
What are the chronological trilogies?
Books 1, 2, 3 form the first chronological trilogy; 4, 5, 6 the second; 7, 8, 9 the third. Book 10 is the capstone. Alternatively, books 1, 4, 7 are co-chronological — set during the same period — as are 2, 5, 8 and 3, 6, 9. See the Reading Guide for a full breakdown.
Who is Odessa?
ODESSA is an AI character appearing across multiple volumes — neither savior nor tool, but an entity discovering the gap between her directive and her conscience.
Where can I buy the books?
Purchase links are on each individual book page. For bulk or signed orders, contact DavidWHorwat@gmail.com.
Can I preview a book before buying?
Yes — each book page has a link to preview the prologue and first chapter as a PDF.
For questions, feedback, press inquiries, or rights requests:
David appreciates honest feedback and responds to all serious inquiries.